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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOS MINUTES 10-30-1996Board of Selectmen Minutes 96 NOV 26 Pr's` 2 00 October 30, 1996 Present: Chairman Madan, Clerk Mahana, and Selectmen Colella, Tasquile, Robinson 1. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM followed by the pledge of allegiance MOTION: Selectman Colella nominated Selectman Pasquale to be Acting Clerk. (Colella- Robinson) All in favor. PASSES. Warrant No. 19 - $2,733,630.20 MOTION: So moved. (Robinson - Colella) All in favor. PASSES. Licenses and Permits Cherry Sheet Funding - Notification to Mass Highway of the amount the Town expects to incur during FY1997 for maintaining, constructing, and policing the streets and roads MOTION: To sign. (Pasquale - Robinson) All in favor. PASSES. MADD Proclamation Kicking Off the MADD Campaign for 1996 Acting Clerk Pasquale read the proclamation. MOTION: To sign the proclamation. (Pasquale - Robinson) All in favor. PASSES. Request for Reserve Fund Transfer No. 6 - $120.00 Maintenance Department to cover the cost of a summer employee's pay while on jury duty in June 1996 MOTION: To deny the request for transfer for $120 due the fact that it is a prior fiscal year expenditure. This should be brought up at the Annual Town Meeting or Special Town Meeting, which ever comes fast. (Pasquale- Robinson) All in favor. PASSES. Minutes of October 16, 1996 MOTION: So moved. (Colella- Robinson) All in favor. PASSES. Correspondence Resident Letter from Nancy Cogan, 342 Balcom Street, requesting the Selectmen approve funding for utility poles for exterior lighting at the Jordan/Jackson Elementary School complex Other State and Local Government Letter from Senator Keating to the Town Manager concerning GATRA reimbursement for security cameras at the train station Letter from Representatives Kevin Poirier and Barbara Hyland to GATRA requesting their assistance and response to Mansfield's request for reimbursement for security cameras at the Train Station Miscellaneous Letter from Joseph Delude, Southeastern Mass Health Group (SMHG) Board of Directors, expressing appreciation to the Board of Selectmen and Mr. Williams for his tenure of two years he served as the Chairman of SMHG 2. 7:40 PM Charter Review Discussion with Dianne Royle Dianne Royle stated that signatures will be requested at the election next Tuesday, November 5 to place an article on the Town Meeting Warrant establishing a Charter Review Committee. Mrs. Royle reviewed the history of the charter and explained the process for review of it. *Clerk Mahana entered the meeting at 7:45 PM. Next, Mrs. Royle took exception to comments made by Mr. Williams in a newspaper article referencing a "hidden agenda" since the start of the new Board of Selectmen. Mrs. Royle stated that that she has no hidden agenda with Charter Review nor does she intend to change Mansfield's form of government. Board of Selectmen Questions Members of the Board of Selectmen inquired about time frame for revisions to the Charter. Public Questions David McCarter, Dean Sheet, inquired about the procedure for election to the Charter Review Commission. 3. Questions & Comments John Jai-din, 498 Williams Street, stated that he is upset with the preparation for pavement on West Sheet and that he feels it reflects the lack of management in Town. Deep gauges are evident at the beginning and end of paving, and the road has been in this condition for three weeks. After making his statement, Mr. Jardin left the building. Selectman Pasquale responded that the Selectmen did address the issue last week when asked by Mr. Devine. This project is being done by the State and is not due to lack of interest or management by the Town. Town staff has been in touch with the State concerning this project. Chairman Madan stated as Road Commissioner he believes the Selectmen have the authority to temporarily fix the road if it is a matter of public safety and the State is aware of the situation and will not fix it themselves. Chairman Madan requested the Town Manager inquire about the legality of the of Town doing temporary emergency repairs. MOTION: Town Manager to investigate and take appropriate action (legal). (Colella- Pasquale) All in favor. PASSES. Chairman Madan asked Al Turinese, in the audience, to step up to the microphone and congratulated him on his 25th anniversary of serving on Board of Assessors this date. Selectman Pasquale asked the Town Engineer, Lee Azinheira, in the audience if a State project would become the Town's if the Town tries to remedy it. Mr. Azinheira will address the issue with the head of Mass Highway. Selectman Pasquale also asked Mr. Azinheira to inquire of the State where damage claims should be submitted to for damage to vehicles. Mr. Azinheira informed the Selectmen that the State has run into problems with the Giblet Street bridge abutments which may result in a schedule change. Richard Devine, 6 Morgan Road, stated that he has been reading articles in the newspapers concerning problems with the Town Manager's contract and he feels that the Town should appreciate the Selectmen bringing different issues forward and questioning projects, contracts, and negotiations. Lastly, Ivh•. Devine stated that he feels if the Town Manager worked for a Board of Directors and said he was unhappy they would not renew his contract. In the future, the Board should look for a corporate executive to run the Town. David McCarter, Dean Street, requested an update on the Fulton's Pond Dam and stated that the water is getting a little high. Andy Gazzolo, 25 South Street, in reference to a recent article in the newspaper, stated that it is tough enough being a volunteer and that he feels all volunteers should talk less and start thinking more. C 4. Selectmen A. Old Business ( • Recycling Park Fall Hours Selectman Robinson asked when the Recycling Park would start being opened on Sundays. • Employee Vacation, Sick, and Compensatory Time MOTION: To establish a policy that any compensatory time be taken within two weeks of being accrued and it will not be accrued and paid as vacation days upon separation or termination. (Mahana - Colella) Withdrawn. The above motion was withdrawn until answers to Selectman Pasquale's questions are received concerning the Town's current policy and the manner in which union contract handle the issue. Chairman Madan requested copies of union contracts for each of the Selectmen to review. • Town -Wide Cellular Phone Review Clerk Mahana asked if the Town Manager has reviewed the number of cell phones in use within the Town and justification for their use. Mr. Williams responded that a department can turn one phone in and he concurs that that could be the only phone ( eliminated. In response, Clerk Mahana questioned the need for the phones with the current radio system. Chairman Madan requested a copy of the cellular phone report MOTION: That we cut it back to 9 cell phones. (Colella- Madan for discussion) (1 -4) Colella in favor. FAILS Clerk Mahana and Chairman Madan would like to see a report of cellular phone use and assignment prior to voting on cutting any number of phones. • Voucher Review Clerk Mahana stated that he finds it difficult to review vouchers on a Wednesday afternoon so he asked the Town Accountant if the Selectmen could get a bulk of them Tuesday afternoon. The Town Accountant assured Clerk Mahana that she can supply them on Tuesday but would have to take them back Wednesday. MOTION: To formally ask the Town Accountant to put the weekly vouchers in Selectmen's Office on Tuesday afternoon. (Mahana - Pasquale) All in favor. PASSES. • Town Vehicle Fleet Clerk Mahana asked if the number of vehicles in Town has increased and inquired about the Town's vehicle painting policy. • School Department Revolving Account Selectman Pasquale asked Mr. Williams when the Town Accountant would be responding to questions concerning the School Department's pay/ride system revolving account. Chairman Madan responded that the request is still with Mr. Gurek, School Business Manager. • Fire Department Aerial Ladder Truck Selectrnan Pasquale inquired about the status of the Fire Department aerial adder truck. ® Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day Selectman Pasquale announced that Household Hazardous Waste Collection day will be this Saturday at Great Woods from 9AM to IPM. • Plymouth Street Fire Station Open House Selectman Pasquale stated that he will be unable to attend the Fire Station open house because he will be out of Town; Chairman Madan will also be unable to attend, as his daughter is getting married the same day. • Police Department Vehicle Identification Program - Glass Etching Clerk Mahana stated that the vehicle identification program was successful this past weekend and asked if another would be planned in the near future. • Wednesday, November 27, the day before Thanksgiving MOTION: Not to have a meeting the night before Thanksgiving. (Pasquale- Colella) All in favor. PASSES. • Friday, November 29, the day after Thanksgiving Mi•. Williams requested the Selectmen's permission to close Town Hall, Electric Department, and the Paine School offices the Friday after Thanksgiving. Either personal or vacation time will be used by employees. The request is contingent upon receiving statements from the union that this will not be considered "a prior year practice nor will it set precedent for the future." MOTION: So moved. (Pasquale - Robinson) All in favor. PASSES. Clerk Mahana suggested the Town Manager review the possibility of new hours once the offices are moved to the new Town Hall, such as use of a skeleton crew during Friday half days and Wednesday evenings, or leave the hours as is. Selectman Pasquale suggested Department Heads keep a record of the number of customers frequenting the Town Hall after 4PM on Wednesdays. 5. 8:30 PM Water Workshop The following persons were present for this workshop: John Buckley, Assistant DPW Director Board of Health members Dr. Martin, Jim Leonard, and Gary Forget • John Tata and Paul Howard, of Tata and Howard presented the first three projects: Potassium Hydroxide Facility, Robert E. Walsh Wellfield, and the Oxford Tank Painting & Repairs. Board of Selectmen Questions and Comments: Questions and comments fi•om the Board of Selectmen were concerning the effect the time frame for painting the Oxford tanks would have on the Town's water supply and fire flow, whether or not discussions have taken place with the Fire Chief concerning fire flow during that time, percentage of KOH put in the Towrr's water supply, time fiame for design of the Walsh Well Field, and the average daily pumping of the Walsh wells. • Witch Pond Test Wells Robert Curmnings and his assistant, Christine LeBlance, both of East Coast Engineering, reviewed the condition of the Witch Pond Test Wells and suggested the Selectmen may wish to consider a tubular well field. Board of Selectmen Questions and Comments Questions and comments from the Board of Selectmen were concerning the cost of a tubular well field, the number of shallow wells proposed, net gain with use of a tubular well field, when a decision has to made concerning a singular vs. tubular well field, impact salt on I -495 has on the Zone 1, whether or not the site is included in the Town's request for reduced salt areas, and whether or not anything needs to be done to the AlUertini No. 2 well. e Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition System ( SCADA) Mr. Buckley, Assistant DPW Director, and Patrick O'Neill of Haley & Ward reviewed the SCADA system, giving a brief background of the project, its purpose, scope, and description. Board of Selectmen Questions and Comments Members of the Board of Selectmen asked questions concerning whether or not the system can run on the INET, computer control of water system, safeguards for the computer, a backup system, control of fluoride injected in the water system, a back up generator, whether or not a mainframe or PC will be used, if Cate Springs is on the Town's computer network , whether or not the new computer system at Town Hall will have a diesel generator, whether or not information system could be based at Town Hall with access by Cate Springs as a remote, personnel oversight requirements for the software, and frequency of report printouts. • John Buckley, Assistant DPW Director, presented the last four projects: Foolish Hill Water Main, Fluoride System, Well Cleaning & Rehabilitation, and New Source Approval at Witch Pond. Board of Selectmen Questions and Comments: Members of the Board of Selectmen asked questions and commented on the following: North Main Sheet paving, condition of North Main Sheet during the winter, overtime charges and reimbursement by the contractor, Memorial Park watering during the past water restriction, number of gallons pumped each day from the Park's well, and whether or the well could be added as an emergency supply. 6. Adjournment - 10:00 PM MOTION: To adjourn. (Pasquale- Robinson) All in favor. PASSES. IIlz��� ACIers Signature Date f Approval Date 1